A top young golfer was jailed today for killing a retired university lecturer after hitting his camper van at 90mph in his BMW.

Richard Bentham, 22, was ‘showing off’ in his high-powered BMW 320 coupe when he ploughed into the van and killed Dr Graham Howells, 67, in October 2011 on the A449 near Usk, south-east Wales.

Dr Howells was on the way back from his twin children’s birthday when the car smashed into his van - and his heartbroken son and daughter had to cut their celebrations short to identify his body.

Death: Richard Bentham (left), 22, was ‘showing off’ in his high-powered BMW 320 coupe when he ploughed into a camper van and killed Dr Graham Howells (right), 67, in October 2011 on the A449 near Usk in Wales

The grandfather of four, who lectured
in Cardiff and Swansea, had spent the last 16 years of his life in South
America and recently retired from his job an English professor at the
University of Brasilia.

Bentham was not paying proper
attention to the road - and during police interviews admitted to
‘showing off’ in his convertible BMW minutes before the collision,
prosecutor Christopher Rees said.

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‘He told the police that he had just
floored it down the dip in the road and peaked at 128mph before putting
cruise control on. He told them: “I felt completely safe because I know
the road so well”.’

Bentham said he could have ‘driven
along the road blindfolded and had never before tested the high speed of
the car’ - and was driving at 90mph at the time of the collision,
Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Rising star: The 22-year-old is pictured (left) with the famous Scottish golfer Colin Montgomerie (right)

Dr Howells would have only seen his white BMW 320 coupe for 25 seconds before the smash.

'A two year sentence is too lenient. There has been no remorse shown as far as we are concerned.He was away playing in golf tournaments while we were coming to terms with the death of our dad'

Dr Graham Howells's son, Graham

Bentham was a product of the Newport
Celtic Manor golf academy - where the 2010 Ryder Cup was staged – and he
was granted special bail conditions so he could carry on competing in
tournaments.

Earlier this year took part in
qualifiers for the Open Championship and was just one shot away from
rubbing shoulders with Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

Just last month he played alongside a
host of professional and amateurs at a tournament at Celtic Manor to
celebrate the Ryder Cup.

Richard Bentham at Cardiff Crown Court yesterday. Bentham admitted driving at 128mph before the collision. The crash happened on the northbound carriageway of the A449, near the Usk intersection (pictured, right)

Bentham, a Junior Wales Open winner, was playing alongside former Scottish international footballer Alan McInally.

'He was about to start a new chapter in his life - a chapter he had been planning for 45 years. But on the same day he was with us, celebrating our birthday, we had to identify his body in a mortuary'

Dr Graham Howells's son, Graham

Bentham, of Monmouth, South Wales,
pleaded guilty to causing the death by dangerous driving, following a
collision on the A449 near Usk.

‘My client has shown outstanding sporting promise from the age of
12 and was likely to lose good years from any jail term imposed,' said Patrick Harrington QC, defending.

Bentham was jailed for two years and banned from driving for four years.

Speaking after the case, Dr Howells’s
twin children slammed the sentence.

High-powered: Bentham was 'showing off' in his 320 BMW 320 coupe. This is a file publicity photo of a 320

His son Graham said: ‘A two year
sentence is too lenient. There has been no remorse shown as far as we
are concerned.

'He told the police that he had just floored it down the dip in the road and peaked at 128mph before putting cruise control on. He told them: “I felt completely safe because I know the road so well”'

Christopher Rees, prosecuting

‘He was away playing in golf tournaments while we were coming to terms with the death of our dad. In 12 months’ time, when he is
released on license, he will have a chance to rebuild his life, while our
dad will still be dead.’

‘He had much affection and respect
from around the world,’ his daughter Martha said. ‘He was
about to start a new chapter in his life - a chapter he had been
planning for 45 years.

‘But on the same day he was with us,
celebrating our birthday, we had to identify his body in a mortuary,’
she said. Dr Howells was due to fly back to Brazil just weeks before his
death.